Thoughtful people quote taoism

Let us now talk about

the “sponsors” of Taoism in Europe: Famous persons who said nice things about Laozi, and thus helped to boast Taoism’s popularity. We have mentioned some of them already, but those were mostly academics. Among the giants of literature in world history we have the Russian Leo Tolstoi who is known for having studied Laozi in depth. It certainly became °Æchic’ to quote Laozi as a sure sign that one was worldly and wildly read. For example, Arthur Schopenhauer, a German philosopher, in his additions to the fourth book of °ÆThe World as Will and Imaginations’ quoted “Lao-tseu” in French as translated by Stanislav Julian. Lovers of literature try to read Taoism into the nihilistic works of Friedrich Nietzsche.

There’s little evidence that Nietzsche read Laozi; but then, there’s also no evidence that Confucius knew about °Æthe biblical Flood’ or that the Iraq had

any weapons of mass destruction: if it’s a good story, it will shape human history forever! A reading of Martin Heidegger (Being and Time), Jacques Derrida (Diff®¶rance), orLudwig Wittgenstein (Language Games) through the goggles of a Taoist is entirely possible, satisfying even. Besides, European universities and also governments love their national thinkers being favorably associated with Chinese giants of thought, and sponsor exchange generously. The Swiss renegade theologian Hans K®πng and his wealthy benefactors spentmillions of Euros for their China connection. Generally speaking,the case could be made that it is exceedingly advantageous in our age of diversity and multitude to seek representation in as many circles as possible. Taoism has profited immensely, I claim, from being including in the United Nations backed °ÆInterfaith Dialogue’.

It’s easy to see the benefits of being discussed across all disciplines.

For example, in the natural sciences: Already, the British mathematician Bertrand Russell visited Beijing in 1922 and noted that “Tao” is has penetrated deeply into Chinese life, making it more urbane and tolerant, more contemplative and observant, than the fiercer life of the West.” It was supposedly one of the few books Einstein deemed indispensable while going “into exile” in the USA. It shows that as a system of thought Taoism remains timeless and original, and universally applicable anywhere; if only it were taught everywhere.